Madison FOX 47 looks at Medical Cannabis and Opioids in Special Report

Posted: August 1, 2019 by Gary Storck
Category: Medical

Cannabadger was interviewed by Fox47's Michelle Carolla for a Special Report: Marijuana vs. Opioids in the fight against addiction. The report aired Wednesday, July 31, 2019 and also included cannabis bill sponsor Rep. Melissa Sargent and longtime anti-cannabis zealot Dr. Michael M. Miller MD.

Below is a partial transcript of the report including my comments:

Michelle Carolla: For years now, there was a debate about using marijuana to lessen the use of opioids. And while patients believe it's assisting in their pain management, some doctors say the science doesn't support those claims. Tonight, we're going to hear from a Madison man who's fought for marijuana legalization for nearly 50 years and a state representative who says Wisconsin needs to make legalization a reality now.

Michelle Carolla: It's the latest in our exclusive series, The Addiction Front.

Michelle Carolla: Gary Storck struggled through literally decades of health troubles, from glaucoma to congenital heart defects to multiple heart surgeries in the 70s, again in the 90s and then chronic neck pain.

Gary Storck: They took me off the pain post surgical pain meds, but I was still on a lot of pain. And so I requested more pain meds. And at that time, I became a daily user of opiate pain meds.

Michelle Carolla: He says he used cannabis to help with the pain, but then he ended up with a major infection from the surgery.

Gary Storck: So I ended up in a hospital for two weeks with a morphine pump. And, you know, I barely got out of there alive.

Michelle Carolla: He continued with cannabis at home, which he believes helped him to recover. He said he continued to take pain medications for arthritis and other medical issues. But following yet another heart surgery, he started experiencing side effects.

Gary Storck: With the help of cannabis and CBD, I was able to taper down to the point where I no longer take any daily opioid medicines. And that was after.

Michelle Carolla: As for Storck, he's now dealing with prostate cancer and his doctors support his use of cannabis.

Gary Storck: You know, it helps me be more active and participate more in life. I'm not sitting around sedated by the pain meds or suffering through the side effects.

View the clip from Fox47: http://fox47.com/news/local/special-report-marijuana-vs-opioids-in-the-fight-against-addiction